UND commit Carson Carels 'embodies everything we're looking for in a player'
May 18—GRAND FORKS — UND general manager Bryn Chyzyk couldn't pick out an exact timeframe on how long he's been drawn to Carson Carels. "For a long, long time," Chyzyk said with a laugh. So, when it came time to choose which one of the four Western Hockey League superstar defensemen to prioritize in the 2026 recruiting class, UND zoned in on Carels, a 6-foot-1, left-shot blue liner for the Prince George Cougars.
Not only is he from Cypress River, Man. , a three-hour drive from Grand Forks, UND's staff felt his playing style was a perfect fit. "He's big and plays a physical game," UND coach Dane Jackson said.
"He's really strong defensively. He also really moves pucks well. He can pound a puck from the point.
He's dangerous with his shot. The thing that really stands out to me most is the character guy he is. He's really presence-filled.
He's a leader. He's just really competitive and really embodies everything we're looking for in a player. " Chyzyk added: "He's an extremely smooth-skating defenseman who doesn't sacrifice defense for offense.
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